Single instrumental features have always been a prominent part of popular music from discreet embellishments behind a vocal presentation to a solo tour de force for a concert audience; the latter often resulting in a standing ovation acknowledging the musicians performance. A key interpreter of these musical experiences was the saxophonist Samuel L. Taylor, who’s playing embraced all kinds of popular music: jazz, swing, rhythm and blues - while making “breathy ballads” a speciality. With his seemingly endless enthusiasm and energy, he also became a leading exponent of the “honking” tenor sax sound heard on many nineteen fifties pop records. During this time he also led his own band recording for MGM and ten years later his ballad playing achieved international recognition particularly in Japan.

It has been nearly 15 years since Cardona's last recording, Bembe, was issued. This is a most welcome addition to the Afro-Cuban music legacy as played by percussionist/vocalist Cardona and friends. Several pieces include larger vocal groups, a raft of fellow percussionists, or Cardona overdubbing himself. Others have tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, trumpeter James Zollar, trombonist Papo Vasquez, pianist Bill O'Connell, bassists Joe Santiago or Andy Gonzalez, and drummer Robby Ameen.

On Unfinished Business, veteran guitarist Dean Brown, whose scintillating six-string work can be heard on over 200 recordings, steps out with his fourth dynamic outing as a leader. Joining him on this eclectic offering, which ranges from hard-hitting funk to lovely ballads, soothing samba flavored grooves, Latin-tinged jams, greasy organ-fueled blues and cool jazz, are longstanding colleagues Marvin “Smitty” Smith on drums and Gerry Etkins on keyboards.

A memorable six-night stand in the City of Brotherly Love ends on a high note with some old friends on Philadelphia '99. The 22-song set begins in jaw-dropping fashion with the long-awaited return of “Incident On 57th Street,” last played in December 1980, and features the first Reunion tour performances of “Point Blank,” “Sherry Darling” “Streets of Philadelphia,” “Jungleland” and “Raise Your Hand” to appear in the Archive Series. Philadelphia ’99 also includes one of only five stagings of the epic “New York City Serenade” circa 1999-2000 following a 24-year hiatus.

Live At Rockpalast was recorded at the formal setting of the Leverkusen jazz festival in 2005, which suited the group well; always brilliant when playing to a musically aware audience. It is a classic capture of the reformed band on great form.

"Live in Bremen was recorded at the Aladin Music Hall on August 27 1991, just halfway through the 12 day European tour that would later become immortalized in The Year Punk Broke documentary directed by our friend Dave Markey. In Bremen we returned to the familiar - a smaller-sized indoor venue - after playing to gargantuan, surreal-sized audiences at the Reading Festival and Pukkelpop.

The eighth solo album from this enigmatic singer-songwriter and producer, best known as The Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist. This concept record features Flea, Sonus Quartet, Johnny Marr, and The New Dimension Singers. It's a record suited to dark living rooms late at night. The reissue was recut by John Frusciante and Bernie Grundman from the original analog tapes.

A solo album is always, for a musician, something special. Then, when the musician is serious, intact, as Franco D' Andrea, then the solo album takes on a value even higher. Why Today is the result of a research work and preparation, which lasted over a year, finally resulted in a recording session that originated about two hours of music.

Volume deux of the 1955 Cafe Bohemia sessions from Art Blakey's second edition Jazz Messengers is better than the first. The music is more energetic, cohesive, and pushes the hard bop farther. Where the first volume featured compositions of newly recruited trumpeter Kenny Dorham, it is tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley asserting himself on the bandstand with his set pieces that formed the foundation of the first studio edition of the quintet that included Donald Byrd. Here, Mobley does not defer to Dorham, pushing his sound forward without compromising his vision. "Sportin' Crowd" is definitely an ear opener, a straight-ahead, hard bop gem based on the changes of the Sonny Rollins' classic "Tenor Madness"…

Kinetic Element is a neo/symphonic progressive rock band from Richmond, Virginia that harbors musical roots in classic artists like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Yes, Asia and Genesis and blends those influences with philosophical and spiritually powerful and uplifting lyrics. They are a known act in the prog-rock genre.

At its quietest moments, 2007's Memory Almost Full played like a coda to Paul McCartney's illustrious career; he seemed comfortable residing in the final act of his legend, happy to reflect and riff upon his achievements. Such measured meditation is largely absent from 2013's New, the first collection of original material he's released since 2007. New lives up to its title, finding McCartney eager, even anxious, to engage with modern music while simultaneously laying claim to the candied, intricate psychedelia of latter-day Beatles…